Kentucky lost its top six players from last year's 38-2 national championship squad. But as with so many other John Calipari teams, the Wildcats aren't rebuilding -- they're reloading.

Led by preseason all-SEC pick Nerlens Noel, one of three highly touted incoming freshmen on the Wildcats' roster, Kentucky was chosen by a select panel of SEC and national media members to win the 2012-13 SEC basketball title.

The Wildcats, who were picked third in the USA TODAY coaches' preseason poll, earned 17 first-place votes in the SEC poll, with Florida getting five and Missouri and Tennessee each receiving one.